Editor’s notice: TPG’s Ashley Kosciolek accepted a free journey from Virgin Voyages to attend the maiden voyage of Resilient Girl. The opinions expressed under are solely hers and weren’t topic to overview by the road.
“What the f*cking f*ck simply occurred?” flashed throughout a sequence of screens, uncensored, shortly after Persephone determined she was in love with Hades. Demeter, Persephone’s mom, was not completely happy concerning the new underworld coupling.
No, it wasn’t a complicated dream I had after a very tense day. It was simply one other evening within the Crimson Room theater on Virgin Voyages’ new Resilient Girl. The efficiency, dubbed “Persephone,” satisfied me that the road’s exhibits at the moment are the very best at sea — partly as a result of they push boundaries with their grownup language and themes and partly as a result of they characteristic among the greatest singers, dancers, acrobats and aerialists I’ve ever seen on a ship.
Resilient Girl debuted with an inaugural season of Greek Isles cruises from Athens (therefore, the present’s identify), full with shiny, new nighttime leisure choices. They rely as a lot on racy sexual references, forbidden love tales and notes of S&M and burlesque as they do the unbelievable expertise of the forged. The present ideas are trendy and charming, and most had been designed from scratch by way of partnerships with big-name manufacturing firms.
Right here, I discover how Virgin Voyages has created, tweaked and darn close to perfected its leisure choices.
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Virgin Voyages’ leisure evolution
A high-energy dance and acrobatics present, an immersive nightclub activation that options three hours of burlesque in a library, and S&M-heavy dinner theater (full with a metaphorical threesome) are only a few of the brand new leisure choices cruisers can expertise on Resilient Girl.
The road’s newest vessel is essentially the identical as sister ships Scarlet Girl and Valiant Girl by way of structure, meals and quirkiness. Nevertheless, every ship has its personal leisure, drawing tons of repeat cruisers to the brand new cruise line backed by enterprise mogul Richard Branson.
Learnings from the primary two ships have influenced the kinds of exhibits created for Resilient Girl, in addition to how they had been created. Virgin is infamous for pushing arduous in opposition to the boundaries of ordinary cruise-ship productions. Generally it really works; generally, it would not.
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One present, “By no means Sleep Alone” — a one-woman efficiency the place a “intercourse therapist” asks attendees to share bits of their sexual historical past with strangers (no, thanks) — has been faraway from the unique two ships following passenger suggestions. (Cruise line officers inform me it would return ultimately.)
“‘By no means Sleep Alone’ was us pushing, pushing, pushing the boundaries, and lots of people beloved the present,” stated Richard Kilman, Virgin Voyages’ vice chairman of leisure, throughout an interview with TPG. “However some individuals weren’t certain. I feel there was a notion created that wasn’t actually what it was. It is a comedy cabaret present.”
“It additionally tied up a band of ours as a result of we had a stay band each time we did the present … Now we now have these 5 musicians — we now have a trio and a duo — so we have primarily doubled the chance to have stay music in numerous areas of the ship. Folks love stay music, and it offers us extra selection with stay music.”
Alternatively, “Duel Actuality” — a contemporary tackle “Romeo and Juliet” that is punctuated by rival “gangs” and jaw-dropping stunts like aerial acrobatics, hula-hooping and juggling — is so well-liked that it’ll tour on land. This marks the primary time a present created particularly for a cruise vessel has gone from ship to shore.
Finally, all of Resilient Girl’s new essential exhibits really feel like winners to me. It helps that they had been created in partnership with well-known entities like famed Brooklyn nightclub Home of Sure and Emursive, which operates New York’s model of “Sleep No Extra” — an interactive “select your individual journey” efficiency that splits you off out of your group and permits you to wander by way of a number of flooring of the previous warehouse the place it takes place.
As well as, a rotating roster of musicians, comedians and magicians carry out on board for just a few weeks at a time earlier than switching out. Each one in all them was spectacular.
“Our intention after we began this was to create leisure experiences that folks would fortunately pay cash for in the event that they had been on land,” Kilman stated.
I might say the endeavor was a hit. This is a breakdown of what you possibly can anticipate from every new title on Resilient Girl’s proverbial marquee.
Exhibits you will not wish to miss on Resilient Girl
One other Rose
When Virgin Voyages tapped manufacturing firm Emursive to create a brand new present that is a partnership between the ship’s leisure and meals and beverage groups, the end result was “One other Rose.”
“The unique launch of Scarlet Girl was meant to have ‘One other Rose’ on it,” Kilman defined. “And so, it has been like three years within the wings ready for that proper second … The world modified, and it actually hadn’t been the fitting time to deliver that type of present again.”
Now it is right here in full power.
As Resilient Girl’s solely added-fee present and eating venue, “One other Rose” is dinner theater at its most interesting. You possibly can sit in one in all three places: balcony ($55), flooring ($65) or premium close to the stage ($75). Whenever you enter The Manor — the ship’s nightclub space, the place the occasion is held — a crew member will hand you a wearable magnetic flower in a shade that corresponds to your seating part.
From there, you will stroll down a mirrored hallway set aglow with 1000’s of white lights — essentially the most Instagrammed location on the ship, I am informed — the place servers give you an alcoholic welcome drink. (It is the primary of three grownup drinks included within the worth.)
After servers direct you to your part, members of the forged hand out actual roses. They might additionally choose you to maneuver to a different location within the membership to partake in one in all your programs — a really “Sleep No Extra” contact.
Dinner is a four-course set menu that provides cruisers two appetizers (candy potato chaat with tamarind, cilantro-mint chutney, yogurt and pomegranate seeds; and a tuna bomb with avocado inexperienced goddess dressing, spicy soy and semolina puri), a essential course (alternative of pan-roasted sea bass with moilee sauce, basmati rice grit and roasted okra; or braised brief rib with Kashmir chili-coconut sauce, basmati rice grit and scallions) and a dessert.
I left feeling simply the correct quantity of full, though I solely took one chunk of the dessert — the world’s tiniest piece of cheesecake — which fittingly tasted like a rose. There’s additionally a vegetarian menu obtainable. (I don’t eat uncooked tuna, so I ordered the vegetarian celery apple bomb for my second appetizer, and it was implausible.)
Alcoholic drinks are served all through the meal. Tipples embody Love Potion (gin, Cointreau, citrus and lavender), Elixir of the Poppy (Amaro Averna, jasmine tea and silver shimmer) and a glass of Champagne, which exhibits up in between the opposite two.
The present, which occurs round you as you eat, is a mix of dancing, aerial acrobatics and small-group interplay with the forged. The storyline follows a princess pressured to decide on between two males she loves. Finally, she chooses and marries one in all them. Her husband then falls in love with the discarded suitor, and the trio results in a steamy throuple by the tip of the efficiency.
Regardless of the wonkiness of all of it, the present was charming to observe, and the meals was, fingers down, the perfect I ate on the whole cruise. It was seasoned to perfection — not too bland, not too spicy and with simply the correct quantity of taste. The timing of the service was additionally impeccable, coinciding flawlessly with the present. There wasn’t an excessive amount of time between programs; as an alternative, there was simply sufficient for attendees to observe a little bit of the efficiency with out continuously being distracted by meals.
By way of each the present itself and the delectable delicacies, Virgin’s entry into dinner theater succeeds the place different strains have failed. Particularly, I am considering of Norwegian Cruise Line, which had implausible leisure however horrible meals when it provided an analogous idea years in the past.
Lola’s Library
Maintain on to your favourite titles as a result of there is a e-book bandit on the unfastened.
Three-hour-long “Lola’s Library” is a sequence of performances — a “nightclub activation,” as Kilman calls it — divided into three one-hour chapters that run consecutively from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. a few occasions per voyage. The expertise was created in partnership with No Ceilings Leisure, which runs the Mayfair Supper Membership on the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Passengers can dip out and in as they please, taking in a single or two components on one evening and returning once more for the remaining or staying for the whole efficiency from begin to end. Kilman stated the idea was born out of a must make the identical nightclub interesting to cruisers for a couple of evening on a weeklong voyage.
“When individuals go to Vegas or New York, if you are going to go for a protracted weekend or every week, you are going to go to a nightclub on an evening; you are not going to go to the identical nightclub 4 nights in a row,” Kilman stated. “That is simply not a factor. Right here, we now have individuals crusing with us for a full week, so how will we make the nightclub extra interesting, the place individuals will wish to come again [and not] really feel like they’re doing the identical factor?”
Whenever you arrive at The Manor, you possibly can sit wherever you need and settle in to satisfy Lola, a librarian who retains the library open for some after-hours hanky panky.
One evening, after all the things shuts down, a e-book bandit steals a number of tomes, and Lola wonders how she’s going to elucidate their absence to her boss, Mr. Dick. (Of course, that is his identify.)
What begins as a burlesque-style present within the first chapter ultimately takes a extra S&M route, that includes just a few amusing sexual tropes: The horny librarian (Lola); the ugly-duckling nerd-turned-heartthrob, who’s secretly sporting six-pack abs (Lola’s assistant, Dewey); and the French maid (Mary, the cleansing girl, who is not French and who we discover out later within the present is definitely an engineer).
There’s additionally a very random character referred to as Jack the Stripper, a serial flasher who’s a play on Jack the Ripper. He was my absolute favourite, merely for the shock worth.
It finally ends up being extra humorous than raunchy when he poses as different characters earlier than stripping all the way down to nearly nothing. It occurs a number of occasions all through the present, however think about my utter shock when he, together with his borderline dad bod, pulls off a complete aerial routine sporting nothing however boxers with little crimson hearts on them.
I’ve by no means tried acid, however I think about watching this present is just like what could be occurring in my mind if I did. Take all the above, and swirl it round with singing, dancing, acrobatics and pole dancing to music from Blondie, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and The Police. Sprinkle in some nods to “Star Wars,” appearances by the Seven Dwarfs (who, after all, are homosexual) and soiled references to sharpening Harry Potter’s wand, and that about sums it up.
This present receives excessive marks from me as a result of it stored my consideration — and stored me laughing — for 3 hours. The sudden twists had been spectacular (Jack the Stripper) and boundary-pushing (homosexual Seven Dwarfs).
It is also attention-grabbing to notice that Superstar Cruises as soon as tried an analogous method to leisure, that includes a considerably disturbing and hard-to-follow three-hour present within the Eden lounge on its latest cruise ships. Finally, the present needed to be pared all the way down to 90 minutes and was ultimately changed by a sequence of shorter unrelated performances. Virgin’s thought of splitting “Lola’s Library” into three simply digestible segments makes the idea extra audience-friendly.
Thoughts Mangler
The Thoughts Mangler isn’t any peculiar magician. The idea was born from a personality created by Mischief Comedy, the corporate chargeable for “The Play That Goes Incorrect” and “Magic Goes Incorrect.” It is one of many few exhibits Virgin Voyages has licensed somewhat than creating one thing new, in line with Kilman.
You will not discover drained illusions; as an alternative, you will witness a comedy routine blended with mind-reading and different sudden twists, together with an apparent viewers plant who’s a part of the present and wears an “viewers member” T-shirt. He steadily exhibits as much as volunteer all through the efficiency and pokes enjoyable at accusations that magicians collude with individuals earlier than their exhibits after which plant them within the viewers to assist them with their tips later.
As Kilman famous, it is extra concerning the comedy than the magic, however cruisers will obtain loads of each.
Persephone
Along with Emursive, Virgin has a next-level partnership with Home of Sure, the famed Brooklyn artwork area and nightclub that attracts crowds for its weird exhibits and themed costume occasions.
To tie in with Resilient Girl’s Greece itineraries, Virgin’s leisure executives labored with Home of Sure to create “Persephone,” a dance showcase that additionally makes use of singing, aerialists, acrobats and pole dancers to inform the story of the goddess Persephone.
Persephone falls in love and runs away with Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. When her mom — Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest — discovers she’s lacking, she flies right into a rage, and perpetual winter ensues, killing the crops.
Demons sporting horns and muzzles climb the partitions, and dancers lined head to toe in mirrors pop and lock to a robotic-looking quantity that, in my fully unprofessional dance opinion, is the perfect on the whole ship.
Between dances, the singer who performs Demeter belts out standard songs with spectacular vocal vary, the forged members who play Persephone and Hades enter into a few superb acrobatic routines, and a dance battle between the gods and goddesses lends a little bit of competitors to the entire expertise.
The story is a traditional story most of us discovered in grade faculty, however the stage of power, the intricate costumes and the truth that the viewers seems like part of the present are what make it a standout efficiency. Attendees stand the whole time, proper up in opposition to the efficiency areas, with forged members transferring by way of the gang at varied intervals.
“The flexibility to have an occasion the place individuals can stand and transfer across the area and be near performers is a distinct expertise in and of itself, however then you might have all of the recognizable music … and we actually went excessive manufacturing value-wise,” Kilman stated, referring to “Persephone” because the ship’s big-spectacle present.
He additionally famous that it is the first time the versatile Crimson Room has been used to its full potential, providing three completely different vantage factors for passengers — beside the stage, out on the ground’s perimeter or one deck above on the second stage, the place seating is obtainable.
So as to add to the intrigue, a Greek refrain of prerecorded actors seems on the stage’s LED screens behind the forged. They rap concerning the state of affairs to spherical out the plot line, even tossing out a few F-bombs. “F*cking youngsters,” they are saying after Persephone makes her escape.
Pageant Stage
Slightly than a selected present, Pageant Stage is a brand new Virgin Voyages idea that brings a rotating checklist of fastidiously chosen expertise on board to carry out for just a few weeks. The roster adjustments out to maintain the leisure contemporary.
Kilman stated he persistently heard from passengers who sailed the primary two Virgin vessels that they needed extra comedy. The cruise line delivered.
“Now we now have that aspect of rotating leisure the place, in case you come again, there’s one thing you are going to see that is new,” Kilman stated.
On my crusing, I noticed:
Abandoman: By viewers participation, this Irish comic turns cruisers’ lives into hit songs by way of freestyle rap — proper on the spot. Throughout the hourlong present, he created a number of songs a few passenger who was crusing for her eightieth birthday, a girl who held a grudge for many years as a result of her mom would not let her get braces and a pair arguing over whether or not or to not get a canine. Ultimately, he tied all of it collectively flawlessly by rapping about one other couple who, coincidentally, owns a pet store.
Flute Loops: By a mixture of flute, guitar and beatbox, this proficient Irish musician performed well-known songs on choose evenings. The music was gentle however caught passengers’ consideration due to the musician’s means to remix standard songs in ways in which modified their tempo. This created a guessing sport, eliciting “Oh, what is that this one? It is on the tip of my tongue!” reactions from cruisers.
As for what’s subsequent, in just a few weeks, Tape Face — an “America’s Obtained Expertise” finalist who does a complete comedy routine together with his mouth taped shut — will be a part of the repertoire of onboard leisure. Further comedy-magic hybrid exhibits and acapella singing group acts are additionally coming quickly.
Returning favorites
A number of favourite exhibits from Virgin’s first two ships have returned to Resilient Girl. They embody:
Miss Titty Kaka: Drag queen sensation and resident diva Miss Titty Kaka graces phases on all of Virgin’s ships in a rotation. Replete with singing, dancing, fabulous costume adjustments and excessive kicks galore, her performances and witty sexual references will depart you equal components amused and blushing. Plus, who would not love a great drag queen-hosted sport of bingo?
Miss Behave: Land-based present “Miss Behave” was first delivered to the excessive seas by Virgin Voyages on Valiant Girl. Led by a bunch wearing a glittering gold outfit and a nerdy-looking assistant, it focuses on the concept nothing actually issues, together with the factors that the viewers earns. Divided into two groups, attendees take part by way of singalongs, shout-outs and actions like standing up, sitting down, dashing the stage and texting selfies or solutions to inquiries to a devoted quantity through WhatsApp. It is all a bit chaotic, and that is simply the best way passengers prefer it.
Theme events: Considered one of Virgin Voyages’ largest strengths is the power to throw unbelievable theme events. Take Klub Rubiks and We Fancy, for instance. The previous is an ’80s-themed dance occasion full with a DJ spinning ’80s music. Passengers are extraordinarily zealous about dressing up. The latter is a nightclub dance occasion the place members of the leisure forged mingle with passengers on the dance flooring. When you have something gold, that is the time to put on it.
Scarlet Evening: Completely no after-hours bash within the historical past of cruise ships can outdo Scarlet Evening. The head of events, it encourages everybody to decorate in crimson to listen to the legend of Scarlet Evening. Informed each within the ship’s Roundabout atrium space — which is adorned with large, inflatable octopus tentacles — by members of the crew and by a lounge singer-style efficiency that runs each quarter-hour within the Crimson Room theater, it entails a hapless sailor who falls in love with an octopus princess. Bizarre? Sure, however it’s completely Virgin.
Cracking on with the weird sequence of Scarlet Evening occasions, the crew within the atrium select two passengers to “marry” each other after partaking in a stay, improvised sport of mad libs that describes how the 2 first met. Finally, the officiant pretend-marries everybody inside earshot of the ceremony — however only for the evening.
From there, members of the ship’s dance crew start popping up, flashmob type, to carry out all through the general public areas as everybody makes their approach to the pool deck, the place the true occasion begins.
A large inflatable octopus looms over the area, welcoming passengers as dancers invite everybody to leap into the pool. A DJ cranks music till midnight, when the festivities transfer indoors to The Manor, the ship’s nightclub. In all my cruises, I’ve by no means seen a celebration so properly attended or one which concurrently makes use of so many public areas so successfully.
Backside line
By stellar expertise, excessive manufacturing worth and big-name partnerships, Virgin Voyages’ leisure continues to push boundaries. Its new exhibits firmly cement the road’s spot on the high of the cruise ship leisure leaderboard. The cruise line has taken ideas that failed on different cruise strains, resembling dinner theater and three-hour-long performances, and made them work exceptionally properly.
What’s nice concerning the line is that it leans closely into passenger suggestions, tweaking a few of its choices to offer extra selection and to retain all the quirk, attraction and innuendo in a much less apparent (and, maybe, much less offensive) method. Plus, all however one in all its brand-new exhibits are free.
What you possibly can anticipate from the performances on any Virgin vessel — however particularly Resilient Girl — are among the most awe-inspiring singing, dancing and feats of power you will see anyplace, together with on land.
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